Why we fight

With all of the misinformation swirling around out there from the government spin machine I think it is important for all pharmacists to focus on the real reason for our campaign. Despite what Deb Matthews and company say, this is not about fair drug prices, it is not about reducing costs, it is not about taking on “big pharmacy” and it is most certainly not about improving health care. From my perspective, this is what our fight is about...

This is about the elderly patient, who has mixed up her medications for the third time in the past week and is looking for help in keeping organized. She’s not ready to move to a nursing home yet, but without her pharmacist to help her manage her medications she knows that is her only option.

This is about the young mother, who approaches the pharmacist late at night with a prescription for her infant son, obtained after spending 8 hours in the Emergency room. She received little information from the over-extended ER physician and wonders if the antibiotic is really needed.

This is about the young man who has fallen on hard times and unfortunately turned to chemicals to help him cope. He’s working to turn his life around, and the supportive care he receives through the methadone program has been helping him get back on his feet.

This is about the man who has been swallowing antacids by the dozen and still can’t get any relief for his heartburn. After a short conversation with his pharmacist he heads to the ER where he learns that emergency bypass surgery is needed to prevent the imminent massive heart attack that he had been dismissing as acid reflux.

This is about the patient with terminal cancer, living her final days at home, who relies on her pharmacist to deliver the medication she needs, whenever she needs it, to allow her to spend her final hours with her family by her side.

This is about the thousands of patients every day who rely on Ontario’s pharmacists to prevent drug interactions, prevent adverse drug reactions, provide appropriate non-prescription and non-drug therapy, provide referrals for physician care when appropriate, provide information to help them manage chronic conditions and provide support and encouragement when needed most.

To say that this is simply about fair generic drug prices is wrong. Any savings that may be realized through the generic drug side will certainly be spent many times over when our ability to provide quality care that the people of Ontario count on is compromised. I didn’t become a pharmacist to debate generic drug spending or professional allowances with the government. I became a pharmacist to provide patient care and make a real difference in their lives. All I ask for now is some respect from the government and the right to have the means necessary to continue to serve my patients, preferably through a fair fee for the services that I already provide. We can talk about additional professional services later.

As a pharmacist, nothing is more satisfying that having a patient say “thank you.” Thank you for making a difference, or thank you for caring, or thank you for taking the time, or thank you for saving my life. It kills me to know that I may soon be letting my patients down through no fault of my own. Our very ability to practice our profession and positively impact the health of our patients is at stake here. This is why I will stand with my profession and fight this battle to the end. I encourage all pharmacists to do the same.